Airplane



G. C. LOENING.

MRPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I3, 1919.

Patented 001:. 255, 192m,

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

wf/umn @y 7 Arron G. C. LOENING.

AIRPLANE.

APPLlcATloN man mAYla. 1919.

mmm ont, 25, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1ML/Enron G. C. LOENING.

AIRPLANE.

APPLICATION msn ram/13. 1919.

1,394,630., Patented 001:, 125, 11921.,

` 4 H. I H x t .6. c. LOENING,

AIRPLANE. Y

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 19|9.

Patented oet, 25, mi.,

y4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Unirse s'r-Afras GBOVEE G. LOENING, OF NEW YORK, N'. Y.

AmPLN E.

Langeac.

Specification of Letters Patent.

` Patenten ocean; aaai.

Application led May 13, 1919. ISerial No. 296,802.

To 'all ywhom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, GRovER C. LOENING, a citizen of the United States,and resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and Stateof New York, have invented a new and useful Airplane, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to airplanes, and particularly to seaplanes 0rflying boats, though some of its features are applicable also to landplanes. It embraces a novel construction and organization includingnumerous new parts and combinations, whereby manufacture is facilitatedand cost is reduced and general improvement in the machines is effected.A leading object is simplicity, with consequent posslble economy ofproduction, decrease in weight, increase in speed, decrease inhorsepower required, decrease in fuel consumption, etc., in conjunctionwith a high degree of strength and stability. Another important objectis to provide a construction of flying boat which combines safety forthe occupants with u1uobstructed vision and ease of control. Anotherobject is to relieve the wings of the weight of the side pontoons inHight and of stresses transmitted through them when on the water. Stillanother object is to eliminate the complicationl and head resistance ofordinary bracing and. staying, and to provide a simple and advantageousform of bracing which contributes materially to vthe lift. A furtherobject is to provide the flying boat with a launching carriage, fromwhich the machine cannot be prematurely separated, and which is cast ofiby the pilot. It is also an object to enable the planes to be cast offin case of emergency when the machine is upon the water. Other obJectsand features will be come apparent to those skilled in the art.

ln the accompanying drawings:

. Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the preferred embodiment ofthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; Y

Fig. 3 is a frontA elevation;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary crosssection Fig. 5 is an enlargedsectional elevation on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section through one of the struts; and

7 is a sectional side elevation of another embodiment.

The bodyof'the machine comprises a hull 1, which may be constructed withlaminated walls in accordance with existing practice. Instead of theusual multiplicity of fittings for carrying the overhead engine 2 andwings 3, I provide a unit hull and superstructure by extending theforward middle portions of the side walls upward to the requisiteheight. These extensions are designated 4, and as seen in Fig. 3 theycon stitute straight continuations of the lines of the sides converginginwardly and upwardly from the bottom of the hull.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the forward part 5 of thehull is low and decked over, and the front edges of the superstructuremembers 4 are upwardly and forwardly inclined, so that the top of thesuperstructure overhangs the part 5. lThe extensions 4 are desirablyformed with large side openings 8, but'their forward portions 7 presentflat, solid areas of substantial extent for a purpose which will appear.In rear of the front part 5 of the yhull is the seat 8 for the pilot,with controls (not shown), and in rear of that, below the back of thewings, is the observers seat 9. The pilots seat is between the sideextensions 4, where he has a direct view forward between the extensions,sidewise and downward through the openings 6, and upward through theopen top of the superstructure, in rear of thel engine bed 10 about tobe described.

The tops of the converging side extensions 4 are united by simplecross-fittings 11, 12,

13, shown as channeled bars with sockets 14 toward their ends embracingthe edges of the extensions` to which they are bolted.

The ttings 11, 12, together with longitudiance, and in front of thesolid parts 7 of the side wall extensions 4. The latter, beingsubstantially straight in the longitudinal direction, act as-n areasupon the spiral current of air, thereby tending to neutralize the torqueof the propeller. y

Behind the engine, supported inthe top of the superstructure, betweenthe wings, isthe fuel tank 17 and above it the radiator 18.

Behind the gasolene tank, above the-pilots head, is the opening 19 'forupward view, heretofore referred to.

The projecting ends of the top cross-fittings 12, 13 form sockets 2()for the recep-v tion of the inner ends of the spars 21 of the `monoplanewings 3, the spars being held in tal than the struts 23, the outer endsof the struts 23 and 24 being united by fittings 25 to form V-brackets,the bases of which are secured to the remote upper and lower portionsAof the body by the pins 26 and 27. At the extremities of thesebrackets, upon the fittings 25 or upon extensions of the struts, aremounted the side pontoons 28, which unite the bracing longitudinally ateach side of the machine. Additional pairs of struts 29 extenddiagonally outward and upward and inward and downward between the apexfittings 25 and attachments 30 under the outer portions of thawingspars. The wings are thus braced primarily to the lower part of thehull, and in lesser degree to the superstructure, by a deep cantalivertruss, of which the height of the body at the side extensions 4substantially measures the base. The side pontoons are carried by thisbracing, and particularly by the brackets 23, 24, substantiallyindependent of the wings, that is to say the wings neither sustain theweight of the pontoons in flight nor receive thrust therefrom whenriding upon the water. All of the braces act in both ,compression andtension.

The struts are of broad, wing-like crosssection, as shown in Fig. 6 andare set with an angle of incidence; and, all of them having a horizontalprojection, lift is derived from the entire bracing, which thus affordsadditional wing area. In the present instance the areas ofthe horizontalprojections of the struts may be about one-sixth of the wings.

The pins 22 connecting the inner ends of the wings to thesuperstructure, and the similar pins connecting the lowgelr, inner endsof the wing struts 29 to the fittings 25, are of zuick-detachablecharacter, so that in case o necessity the wings can be cast adrift,leaving the hull floating upon the water steadied by its out-riggers.

At the rear end of the hull, the side walls are extended integrallyupward to form fins 32, to which are attached the stabilizer 33,

elevator 34, and twin rudders 35.

The hull is provided with an attached launching carriage and means forcasting it off. This vis accomplished in a simple manner by seating abent axle 36 in a groove 37 across the bottom of the forward mid portionof the hull, where it is held by cables or other suitable connections 38passing to points of support within. By means of a trigger 39 accessibleto the pilot the connections can be released and the axle and launchingwheels 40 dropped olf. In this way the boat cannot become displaced fromits carriage before it-has been successfully launched, as-has heretoforeoccurred with disastrous results.

Fig. 7 illustrates a pusher modification of Y the invent-1on. Similarparts are designated by the same reference numerals as in the otherviews, with super-character a. The side extensions 4a lack the forwardfin pro# jections 7 of the other form, and at the top it is sufiicient4to connect them by two crossfittings (not shown). The engine bed isformed substantially as before, but upon the rear portion of thesuperstructure. The engine 2a is reversed, and the'propeller 16 is atthe back of the wings. The forward part of the hull is constructed as adouble cock-pit with seats 8"L and 9a for pilot and observersubstantially in the usual locations.

The fuel tank 17aL is located between the side extensions 4a, back ofthe pilots seat.

What I claim as new is:

1. A seaplane having, in combination, a hull-body and superstructure,monoplane wings attached at the top of the superstructure, bracketscomprising members unitedto the upper part of the superstructure and tothe hull, respectively, and extending outward and united at pointsbeneath the wings,

bers bracing the ywings from said brackets,

said several members acting in both tension and compression and being oflift section.

3. A seaplane having a hull-body provided with integral upwardextensions of its sides forming a superstructure, an engine bed arrangedon the top of saidv superstructure, monoplane wings attached at the topof the superstructure, V-brackets comprising members united to the upperpart of the superstructure and to the hull, respectively, andextendingoutward and united at points A superstructure, and a pair of monoplanelvthe top to vform an enginebeneath the wings, pontoons carried by saidbrackets, and members bracing the wings from said brackets.

4. A seaplaneA having, in combination, ax

hull-body and' superstructure, monoplane wings attached at the top ofthe superstructure, brackets comprising members united to the upper partof the superstructure and to by integral upward extensions of the sidesAof the hull, an engine bed on the top of the wings joined with the topof the superstructure at the sides of the engine-bed. v

6. A seaplane having a unit hull an superstructure, the latter formed byintegral upward extensions of the sides of the hull, an engine-bed onthe top of the superstructure, monoplane wings joined at the sides ofthe engine-bed, and inclined struts acting in both tension andcompression connecting the outboard portions of the wings with .thelower portion of the hull.

7. In a seaplane, a hull having integral upward extensions of its sidewalls, and cross-fittings connecting saiil extensions at 8. In aseaplane, a hull having upward extensions of its sides, cross-fittingsconnecting said extensions at the top, and wings attached to saidfittings.

9. A seaplane having a hull with upward extensions of its sides, andcross-fittings between the tops of said extensions forming part of anengine-bed and-'affording wing attachments. 4 y Y 10. In a seaplane, thecombination of a hull having upward extensions of its sides,

'and a cross-fitting between said extensions at the top, saidcross-fitting forming part of an engine-bed and also having wingattachments.

11..In` a seaplane, the combination .of a hull having integral upwardextensions of .l itsside walls with engine 'bearers upon the tops ofsaid sides, and cross-fittings connecting said bearers.

12. In a seaplane, the combination of a hullhaving upward extensions ofits sides,

with engine bearers upon" the tops of said sides, a cross-fittingconnecting said bearers,

and wing attachments on the ends of the lit-A ting.

13. In a seaplane, the combination of a the wings can be cast off from'the body and s pontoons leaving the latter united upon the water.

15. A seaplane having a hull with a notch the bottom, a launchingcarriage comprislng an axle seated in sald notch, and means in the planefor holding the axle in the notch and for releasing the same whendesired.

16. A flying boat, comprising a hull, in-

tegral upward extensions of the side walls of the hull forming asuperstructure, monoplane wings attached to said superstructure,diagonal strut bracing between the wings and hull, a forwardly locatedoverheadiengine on the superstructure, and a propeller in front of thewings.

17. In a ying boat, the combination of a hull, a superstructurecomprising upwardly projecting and forwardly overhanging extensions ofthe sides of the hull, a forwardly located engine bed on the tops ofsaid extensions, an engine and forward propeller driven thereby, andwings attached tothe superstructure. v

18. In a flying boat, the combination of a hull, a superstructurecomprising upwardly projecting and forwardly overhanging extensions ofthe sides of the hull, a forwardly located engine bed on the tops ofsaid extensions, an .engine and forward propeller driven thereby, andmonoplane wings attached to the superstructure at opposite sides of theengine bed. I

19. A fiying boat, comprlsing a hull, a superstructure comprising upwardextensions ofthe sides of the hull presenting flat forward lin areas,wings attached to the superstructure, a forwardly located engine ,bedthereon, an engine, and a propeller in front of said wings and finareas.

20. A flying-boat, comprising, in combination, a hull having convergingsides, exten:

structuredirectly at opposite sides of the engine bed.

GROVER C. LOENING.

